You just want a clipboard app for your Mac. You don’t want to read 3,000 words of analysis. Here’s what to download.
Quick answer
- Best for most people: QuietClip — native, fast, private, $8.99 once
- Best free option: Maccy — open-source, text-only, lightweight
- Best for multi-device: Paste — syncs across Mac/iPhone/iPad, $30/year
- Already installed: macOS Tahoe built-in — text-only, basic, through Spotlight
If you already know what you need, there’s your answer. If you want to understand why, keep reading.
What makes a good clipboard app on Mac
Most clipboard apps do the same basic thing: save what you copy so you can paste it later. The differences come down to five things:
The clipboard app you actually use is the one that opens fast enough that you don’t think about it. If pressing the shortcut and scanning your history takes less time than switching windows to re-copy, you’ll use it. If it’s slow, you won’t.
The best clipboard app is the one fast enough that you never think about it. If it adds friction, you’ll stop using it within a week.
Top 5 clipboard apps for Mac
1. QuietClip
Native SwiftUI app. Menu bar icon, keyboard shortcut (⌘⇧V), instant popup. Stores text, images, and files. Pins for items you paste frequently. Search across full history.
Privacy is the standout: completely local, zero network connections, no telemetry. Your clipboard data never leaves your Mac.
Free tier gives you 25 items and 3 pins. Pro is $8.99 once — not a subscription — for 1,000 items, unlimited pins, and image/file support. Requires macOS 14+.
Best for: anyone who wants full features without a subscription or cloud exposure.
2. Maccy
Open-source, free, lightweight. Text-only clipboard history with search. Menu bar popup, configurable keyboard shortcut. No images, no pins, no rich content.
Built with AppKit, so it’s genuinely native and fast. The UI is minimal — a search bar and a list of recent copies. Does one thing well.
Best for: people who want free, open-source, and don’t need images.
3. Paste
The premium option. Beautiful UI with visual previews, multi-device iCloud sync, pinboards for organizing clips, and unlimited history. Supports all content types including images, files, and rich text.
The downsides: $30/year subscription (or included in Setapp), and it syncs everything through iCloud. Your clipboard data lives on Apple’s servers. If you stop paying, you lose access to your history.
Best for: people who need clipboard sync across Mac, iPhone, and iPad, and don’t mind paying annually.
4. Raycast Clipboard History
If you already use Raycast as your launcher (replacing Spotlight), its built-in clipboard history is solid. Text and image support, searchable, and integrated into the Raycast interface.
Not available standalone — you need to use Raycast as your launcher. Free tier includes clipboard history. The app is heavier than a dedicated clipboard tool because it does much more.
Best for: existing Raycast users who don’t want a separate clipboard app.
5. CopyClip 2
Established Mac App Store app. Text-focused clipboard history with a menu bar popup. One-time purchase around $10. Functional but the UI feels dated compared to newer options.
No image support in the basic version. Limited search capabilities. Works fine but hasn’t been significantly updated to match modern macOS design language.
Best for: people who want a proven, simple tool from the Mac App Store.
Avoid clipboard apps that don’t clearly state where your data is stored. If an app syncs to the cloud, your clipboard history — including passwords, personal data, and anything else you’ve copied — is stored on someone else’s servers.
The macOS Tahoe built-in
Starting with macOS Tahoe (macOS 26), there’s a built-in clipboard history accessible through Spotlight. It’s worth knowing about as a baseline.
What it does: stores recent text copies, accessible by opening Spotlight and browsing the clipboard section. Retention up to 7 days (configurable). Stored locally.
What it doesn’t do: no images, no files, no pinning, no app exclusions, no dedicated shortcut. It’s text-only with automatic expiration.
The built-in clipboard history doesn’t conflict with third-party apps. You can use both simultaneously. The built-in handles quick “what did I copy 5 minutes ago” lookups through Spotlight, while a dedicated app handles everything else.
It’s a good minimum — significantly better than the nothing that existed before macOS Tahoe. But if you’re reading this article, you probably want more than the minimum.
Verdict
For the typical Mac user who copies and pastes regularly — which is almost everyone:
Get QuietClip if you want the best balance of features, privacy, and price. Local-only, supports images and files, one-time $8.99 Pro purchase. No subscription, no cloud, no telemetry.
Get Maccy if you strictly want free and don’t need images. It’s open-source, fast, and respects your privacy.
Get Paste if you need clipboard sync across Apple devices and you’re comfortable with cloud storage and an annual subscription.
Use the built-in if you’re on macOS Tahoe and just want occasional access to text you copied recently.
The wrong answer is not having any clipboard history at all. Whether it’s the free built-in, an open-source tool, or a paid app — anything is better than a single-item clipboard that overwrites on every copy.
Try the one that balances privacy, features, and price.
QuietClip gives you clipboard history with images, pins, and search — local-only, no subscription. Free for 25 items, $8.99 once for Pro with 1,000 items and full features.